The Katritsky Weekend Report. Day one. `FOUR FEATHERS AND A FUNERAL`.

On May 8th and 9th 2015, We hosted Rupert, his son Eric and Daughter Elizabeth. They travelled all the way from southern France for a two day Sudan/Pony wars weekend.

Day 1 started with our Sudan game `Four Feathers and a Funeral` using Carlo Pagano`s `The Sands of the Sudan` rules.

Rupert and Eric (10 yrs old) took command of the British forces making their way through the Sudanese desert. Their objectives were to deliver orders and supplies to the small fort half way down the table and then push on and relieve and garrison the main fort. A whole journey of 18ft, so a long, hard days march was ahead!
Other tasks assigned were to put Heliograph teams on the two prominent hills and take water from the two Oasis on table.
They also entertained a war artist and two war correspondents, so they must put on a good show for those watching back home.

Separate to this was Elizabeths (8 yrs old) adventure. She was to search for her lost parents, who had been searching for a lost diamond `the Star of the Sudan`. Her game involved traveling down the Nile by boat, completing word searches, mazes and a jigsaw puzzle. Once completed the puzzle would show the whereabouts of the diamond and her parents! All this while safely guiding the armys supply column, looking and collecting wildlife, herding cattle, fighting off robbers and kidnappers and capturing a famous Lion!

A bad start for the British as The Hussar officer falls ill for two turns. The column must press on without its scouting cavalry.

The column moves forward sweeping minor Mahdist forces aside.

Steady progress is made to the small fort at the halfway point. At this time faraway drums are heard! All Mahdist reinforcement cards were now held until the drums stopped, then they are all horded into one mass attack at a random entry point on table.

At the far end of the table the Mahdists were now probing the main fort. Could the Egyptian garrison hold out!

Meanwhile on the other bank of the Nile Elizabeth had located the guide who had last seen her parents. In turn for information he wanted his cattle rounding up and given a British escort to market.

Elizabeth finds her father , with help from her animal friends! He tells his wife is being held by kidnappers , along with a special key to the tomb where the diamond is. They must now find the remaining pieces of the jigsaw to show where the tomb is!

The Mahdists reach the gates of the main fort! At this point Erics dice deserted him, two volleys at point blank range, only a 1 on a d10 misses! Two 1`s and they are in big trouble!

The Mahdists break down the gates and a confused melee begins. Things are going badly so the gun crews and the Colonel himself throw themselves into battle! The Colonel takes a wound to save one of his infantry and the melee is won ! The Mahdists run just as more are about the fort, carrying them away as well. The fort is saved! Well done Eric.

As the mid way fort was reached the Mahdists launched an attack which was driven off with ease. Orders and supplies delivered, the column moved off towards the high ground overlooking the final objective.

At this very moment the drums stopped! A random dice was thrown, and of course the Mahdist horde came on table right on the Britsh columns flank.

The British commanders surprisingly quickly formed a firing line, using the advantage of ground to allow the rear line to fire overhead. They poured fire into the Mahdists as they charged home.

This fire proved withering and although they got into hand to hand melee they could not stand the casualties even driven on by Osman Digna and broke!

With no time left to play for the day and almost no Mahdists left on the table, the game was declared a resounding victory for the British players.

Meanwhile Elizabeth had tracked down the shady merchant holding the last pieces of jigsaw, captured the famous lion and then rushed off to find the tomb, her mother and the diamond!

After a brief firefight with the hooded cultists at the tomb, she was reunited with her mother and recovered the `Star of the Sudan` diamond.